The Serpent's Suitor
by Charlotte Lestrange
Summary: Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy is taking the first step of many, beginning his life anew during his first year at the legendary school of his father's. Friends, enemies, and blossoming loves are all to be a part of this brand new experience. Please REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

White steam erupted from the train as the resinous whistle blew, sounding its imminent departure. A family of three- a mother, father, and son- stood amid the other, larger, families on Platform 9 ¾. Their sharp, well-defined features at odds with the softer, more subdued looks of most everyone else. They spoke quietly amongst themselves, completely indifferent to almost all those around them.

Down the platform, two families blended together,- the Potters and the Weasleys- speaking to one another, beaming and laughing. Quite the adverse to the small family of three down the way.

Ron nodded to Harry, motioning towards the other family, "Look who it is." He muttered under his breath. Both of the wives had noticed two, and all four were now staring at the father and son who stood a few meters away.

Draco Malfoy turned, noticing his audience and nodded to Harry Potter, then he turned back to his wife and young boy.

"So that's little Scorpius." Ron broke the silence, then continued on, telling his small daughter, Rose, to beat Scorpius at every test in school. His wife pestered him to stop, but he paid no attention.

Draco bent down to his son, gripping his right shoulder. His silver-grey eyes stared down into the same silver-grey eyes of his only son, and Draco felt as if he were gazing into a mirror of the past. "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, make us proud." A smiled hinted on his lips as he squeezed Scorpius' shoulder, then let it go, straightening up to his full height once more. Draco's gaze was still locked onto his son's, communicating to Scorpius without words.

Astoria knelt down before Scorpius, and took his pale face in one of her gloved hands, using the other to blot at her eyes with a lacey handkerchief. "Oh, Scorpius," The woman sighed wistfully, "My little boy!"

"Mother, don't call me that." Scorpius demanded placidly. "I'm not little anymore." His tone rang with an authority that did not match his youth.

Astoria disregarded her son's comment and, still on her knees, dragged him down into a constricting hug. "Mother, let- me- go." Scorpius choked out, grimacing.

The whistle blew again, summoning the last of the children that had not yet boarded the Hogwarts Express. Scorpius jumped at this opportunity and extracted himself from Astoria's arms. She looked hurt, so he offered his mother an apologetic smile.

"I'll see you at Christmas." He said, giving his parents one final glance before turning to step onto the scarlet train.


	2. Chapter 2

The crimson train jerked forward and started off down the old track towards the legendary school of magic: Hogwarts.

Scorpius glanced into each compartment he passed, trying to find one that contained suitable people to sit with. He scoffed and quickly passed the ones that held the obvious Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs (his father had told him about _those_ people. Of course, Draco had said something about how some Gryffindors were _okay_, but other than that they were conceited and self-exalting.) and then kept searching.

He huffed out a breath of frustration as he neared the end of that part of the train. Scorpius did not want to look like a fool and keep searching for the right compartment for half the train ride, so he peered into the last compartment on the left and promised that he would sit in it if it wasn't full.

Two boys sat on one side and a girl on the other. The girl looked kind of sad, or annoyed, while the boys were laughing. Scorpius felt a sort of pity for her and slid open the door.

"Could I join you?" Scorpius asked, and without waiting for an answer, he sat down next to the girl.

She looked up, "Hello," She said, her voice a bit flat.

"Hello, I'm Scorpius Malfoy," Scorpius replied, proudly puffing out his chest a bit.

The two boys' laughing died down and they looked at Scorpius. "I'm Aaron Trevett," The one on the left said, and shook his hand. Scorpius offered him a half-smiled, but couldn't manage much else.

"I'm Christopher Collins," Said the other.

"Pleasure," Scorpius said, trying not to sound too uninterested.

Aaron jumped up and down in his seat, "Are you a first year?" He asked in a squeaky voice.

Scorpius nodded and Christopher said, "We are too, and her." He nodded to the girl Scorpius was sitting next to.

Scorpius turned to the girl and smiled, "And who might you be?"

She scowled at him, "I _might_ be indifferent to you being here," She replied in a harsh tone, then turned to face the window.

Scorpius was taken aback. "Did I _do_ something to upset you?" He asked, trying to catch her eye.

"You're a Malfoy," She said, still facing the window. By this time, Aaron and Christopher were already engrossed in another conversation of their own. She pivoted her body to face Scorpius again. "I know what you're family is like." Her scowl was still firmly in place.

Scorpius assumed she was part of a family that was hardcore Gryffindor.

_Great_, he thought, _I picked the exactly_ wrong _compartment to sit in. This train ride is going to be hell._  
"Well, if it's any comfort to you, I'm not like my father in the least," Scorpius lied. He was actually a great deal like Draco. Maybe a tiny bit more compassionate, like his mother, but not by much. "I, uh.. actually.." Scorpius couldn't bring himself to say the lie that he had just concocted in his mind.

"What?" She snapped, "What were you going to say?"

Scorpius had no idea why he was trying even the tiniest bit to get on this girl's good side, but he said what his grandfather and possibly even his dad would think unforgivable.  
"I actually hope I'll be in Gryffindor."


	3. Chapter 3

"Trolley here! Get your sweets and candy!" The rotound woman pushed her way past our compartment, the trolley laden with a load of sweets that could feed the whole of Hogwarts, should the house elves ever quite.

She peeked into our compartment, "Any sweets for you, dearie?" She asked us, her cheeks a rosy pink.

Aaron and Christopher nodded vigorously and held out a few sickles and knuts. The lady handed them some candy and said, "Enjoy."

"'E 'ill" (We will?) Aaron said, his mouth already stuffed with a licorice wand and Christopher smiled.

The girl sitting next to me, still stunned by my comment, tried to hide her astonishment. When she smoothed out her expression, she pursed her lips together and for a moment, looked at if she were debating something inside her head.

"Charlotte." She said, her voice more like flowing water this time and less like a slap in the face.

"What?" Scorpius asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

"That's my name," Charlotte said, her tone implied a "duh" at the end of the sentence.

"Oh, sorry," Scorpius replied, his cheeks flushing a bit.

"So, Gryffindor, huh? That's where you want to be?" She asked a little skeptically.

Scorpius hesitated for half a moment then forced a nod. He still couldn't believe that he had told her that.

What would happen when the Sorting Hat said Slytherin? That was inevitable, of course. None of Scorpius' relatives- except for a few unmentionable flukes- had ever been sorted outside of Slytherin, much less _Gryffindor_!

"Me too," Charlotte said, still not smiling.

_What would it take to make this girl happy?_ Scorpius thought, then shook his head. _No, no. I don't care what she thinks!_

She continued, "My father was in Gryffindor and my mom was in Ravenclaw. Honestly, I wouldn't care if I got Sorted into Ravenclaw, I just think I'd be happier if I was in Gryffindor. Not to mention it would make my father proud."

Scorpius had no idea what it was like to want to be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, but he knew quite a lot about wanting to make his father proud. He had spent too much of his time trying to please Draco and live up to what he thouht his dad wanted him to be like. It was tedious and aggravation sometimes, but Scorpius did it nonetheless.

"My father wants me to be in Slytherin, of course," Scorpius said this like he was exasperated. "But I'm sure he won't mind if I'm not." His voice faultered a bit at the end. He hoped Charlotte hadn't noticed.


	4. Chapter 4

The already small boat seemed to shrink more and more as Scorpius and Charlotte floated down the river towards the looming castle ahead.

Scorpius could tell that Charlotte was completely overwhelmed by the whole situation, what with them being so close to Sorting and all. She was nearly shaking with excitement. He smiled to himself and gave a little chuckle under his breath. In the deep confines of his mind, Scorpius decided that Charlotte was kind of... cute.

The enchanted boat bumped the shore and Charlotte and Scorpius both scrambled out of it before the other children, so as not to get caught up in all the mayhem of the other first years.

"C'mon!" Hagrid bellowed. "Get yerself up here and into the castle!" Fang howled, but Hagrid kicked him 'softly' in the side and he immediately stopped.

The inside of Hogwarts was even more magnificent than Scorpius had imagined, not that he let on to Charlotte or the others that he was even the least bit impressed. He kept a calm expression of nonchalance on his face as the group crowded around the Sorting Hat.

Without wasting any time, an old saggy lady in a large green witches' hat stepped forward with a long list of names. "Without further adue, we will begin Sorting," She took a deep breath and called the first name, "Charlotte Anders!"

Charlotte held her chin high, glanced at Scorpius briefly with what seemed to be a tiny bit of fear in her eyes, then gracefully walked up the stone steps and sat down on the stool.

The Sorting Hat was placed on her head, but said nothing for a few moments. ".... Hmm..." The Hat pondered. "Incredibly intelligent... but also courageous." Charlotte quivered under the Hat, but then took a deep breath and steadied herself. "This is difficult... I'll have to go with..." The pause seemed to last an eternity as Charlotte and Scorpius both waited anxiously for the Hat to makes its decision. "Ravenclaw!"

The blue and black table cheered with delight and Charlotte let out a sigh of relief, hopping down from the stool and taking her place with all the other Ravenclaw members.

After what seemed like too many lifetimes, Professor McGonagall called Scorpius' name (with unsuccessfully masked contempt).

"Scorpius Malfoy!" Her voice rang loud in the Hall that now seemed quieter than before.

Scorpius walked up the steps with an aura of arrogance that only a Malfoy could manage. After all, he was still his father's son.

The Sorting Hat was plopped down upon his blonde head and it gasped, as if it had expected something different.

"Intriguing..." It mused. "A Malfoy.. yet... different than the rest.. But not so different. Cunning.. yes I see that. And smarts too.. but.. what's this?" The Sorting Hat gave a little shake. It sighed. "Slytherin!"


End file.
